This invention relates to balancing devices of the type which affix at or near an object's center of gravity and which naturally return an object to a balanced angular equilibrium determined by where on the object the device is affixed, in relation to the center of gravity. In particular, the present invention relates to balancing devices capable of achieving a desired angular orientation of an object without rotating such device or adding, moving, or adjusting a counterweight and which can still allow the object to freely rotate about a point.
The ability to balance items about a point, like a tip is known to and particularly useful amongst toys, games, tops, and other novelty devices. However, many such devices commonly require rotation at a particular speed to be balanced on a tip, thereby not allowing balancing of a stationary item. Even if they do allow balancing of a stationary item, such devices commonly require engagement of the tip in a way that limits the motion of the device, such as not allowing the device to be freely spun about a point. Further, even if such devices do not require rotation to balance and allow the free motion of the device, it is uncommon for such devices to allow variation of the angle at which the device is balanced by any other means that adjustment, changing, or combining or counterweights. Lastly, no matter how such devices are balanced, many such devices commonly do not also allow a user to choose various objects to be supported. The following references serve as examples of such devices and are hereby incorporated herein by reference.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,417,506
An articulated body composed of a lower hollow portion adapted to be balanced on a support, and an upper portion movably connected to the lower portion and carrying an arcuate balancing rod of substantial length and curvature which has a weight affixed to each of its ends. An electric motor is located within the hollow portion of the body and is adapted to move the upper portion of the body relative to the lower portion. Dry cell batteries are used for the weights and electrical conductor means extending through the arcuate rod electrically connect the batteries with the electric motor.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,458,782
An instructional balancing toy set for use, for instance, by preschool children to amuse and entertain the children while at the same time conveying concepts of object size and object weight. The device includes a base and a plurality of vertically stackable balancing members. The base is upwardly converging and frusto-conical in shape and rests on a support surface, and has a circular top lip which receives a generally spherical intermediate second balancing member to hold the spherical member in a predetermined upright proper orientation. The spherical member when properly oriented, includes an upwardly projecting lug at the top thereof which is received in a lug receiver on the bottom of a figurine to support the figurine in upright position on top of the spherical member as a third member of the assembly. The figurine member includes a generally concave depression on the top surface thereof.
Additional vertically stackable balancing members are intended to be stacked in a certain order and have decreasing size and weight characteristics progressively from the bottom of the stack to the top. Each member, in the form of a figurine or portion of a figurine, has a bottom pointed projection for forming a fulcrum when supported in a top depression of another member. Each also has opposing outwardly and downwardly projecting arms terminating in weights of sufficient mass, the weights being sufficiently below the respective bottom pointed projection so that when the balancing member is placed with the tapered point received in the concave depression at the top of the lower balancing member, a fulcrum effect and stable balancing equilibrium can be achieved.
The device can be constructed in a special form in which the balancing members are intended to be vertically oriented in a particular seriatim order. In such form, the balancing member weights are of a proper mass and at a proper distance below the balancing point or fulcrum so as to be insufficient to provide stable equilibrium for a stack in which a heavier balancing member is positioned out of order there-above. Stable equilibrium will not be achieved and the stack will fall causing the child to try again until the balancing members are in proper order.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,932,303
An ornament shaped to be in balance about a surface point that is adapted to engage an upstanding projection. In one preferred embodiment, the ornament is formed from paper and is in the shape of a bird. The surface point is located at the bird's beak. The beak is adapted to engage the drinking edge of a vessel such as a glass. The center of mass of the bird is located below the surface point so that the bird has a stable equilibrium. The bird has a flat tail positioned to face upward. The tail may be written on, making the bird suitable for use a place indicator on a table at a formal function
U.S. Pat. No. 6,612,895
A gyroscopic toy having a housing and an end post. The housing contains a spinning member, which can be caused to rotate about a first rotation axis of the housing for producing a gyroscopic effect while the end post rests on a surface to support the housing. A gimbals member is movably mounted on the exterior of the housing so that the first gimbals member can rotate about a second axis perpendicular to the first rotation axis. Two crescent-shaped members are movably mounted to the gimbals and one or two figurines are attached to the crescent-shaped members to enhance the visual effect. The toy comes with a support stand, the upper end of which has a concave surface to seat the end post. Alternatively, at least one foot of the figurine has a concave surface to seat the end post when the figurine is used as the support stand.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,773,328
A system comprising a rotating device and a finger supported charging assembly for powering the rotating device. The rotating device has a housing with a base upon which the housing spins. An electric motor is contained within the housing that causes the housing to spin when the motor is activated. The finger supported charging assembly includes two contacts that are coupled to opposite terminals of a battery pack. The contacts are worn on opposing fingers and come into contact with the rotating device when the base of the rotation device is supported with the opposing fingers, when contacting the rotating device, the contacts on the opposing fingers provide electricity to the rotating device that powers the motor within the rotating device.
However, these earlier efforts suffer from one or more of the following disadvantages, which decrease the utility and entertainment value of such efforts: they are limited in what objects may be angularly balanced, they do not allow for adjustment of the equilibrium balancing angle of an object affixed thereto without adjusting, changing, or combining counterweights, they do not utilize a pointed spike and concave depression arrangement between their balance members and supports, they do not utilize magnets to connect a balance member to an object and maintain the equilibrium balancing angle, they are not able to balance without spinning, and they do not allow an object to freely move about a point upon which it is supported.